Sheepish welcome for shoppers

This colourful character is now greeting customers to a £15 million Shropshire supermarket after it was unveiled as part of a £50,000 piece of public art.The steel animal is part of a flock of sheep created as a permanent landmark at Tesco in Harlescott, which has been built on the old site of the Shrewsbury Livestock Market.

The statue of sheep, which is entitled Recycled Livestock and created by Bristol-based designers Cod Steaks, was voted an overwhelming winner in a competition in which almost 1,000 shoppers took part last year to decide what piece of art should be commissioned.

Now the artwork has been unveiled on the corner of Featherbed Lane on the supermarket's site ahead of its official unveiling on April 23, which coincides with the first anniversary of the store and St George's Day. Based on the local Shropshire Down variety, each of the sheep are made from recycled steel in a variety of colours.

The sheep are standing on 'bale hills' made from Corten, a weathering steel that designers say will help them fit into their surroundings.

Sue Lipscombe, Cod Steaks founder, said: "Not only do the sheep commemorate the site's heritage as a thriving livestock market, but also celebrate the town's pioneering environmental efforts and we hope they will be enjoyed by residents and visitors to the area for many years to come."

Store manager Chris Oldfield said he felt the piece of art was "fantastic". He said the fun day would include giveaways, face painting, and a chance to have a photo with a mock-up of George and the dragon.